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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for X-Ray Program Assistant

💰 $ - $

HealthcareRadiologyClinical SupportMedical ImagingRadiation Safety

🎯 Role Definition

The X‑Ray Program Assistant supports radiology and imaging operations by coordinating imaging workflows, maintaining quality assurance and radiation safety programs, managing PACS/RIS and documentation, and serving as a primary administrative and technical liaison between clinical teams, vendors, and regulatory agencies. This role blends clinical process knowledge, regulatory compliance, technical systems administration (PACS/DICOM/RIS), and strong organizational and communication skills to ensure safe, efficient, and auditable x‑ray services.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Radiology/Imaging Technologist (RT/ARRT) transitioning to administrative or program support
  • Medical Assistant or Clinical Assistant assigned to imaging departments
  • Administrative Coordinator with experience in healthcare scheduling or department operations

Advancement To:

  • Radiology Program Coordinator / Imaging Services Coordinator
  • Radiation Safety Officer (with required certification/training)
  • Radiology Operations Manager or Supervisor
  • Clinical Applications Specialist (PACS/RIS/DICOM administration)

Lateral Moves:

  • PACS Administrator / PACS Support Specialist
  • Health Information/Medical Records Specialist
  • Medical Billing and Coding Specialist focused on radiology services

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage daily x‑ray scheduling and workflow coordination across outpatient, inpatient, and emergency settings to optimize patient throughput, reduce wait times, and balance technologist workloads.
  • Act as the primary administrator for PACS and RIS user accounts: create and remove accounts, assign privileges based on role, troubleshoot access issues, and coordinate vendor support for escalated incidents.
  • Maintain comprehensive, auditable radiation exposure and dosimetry logs, collect employee dosimeter data, track trends, and prepare reports for the Radiation Safety Officer and regulatory submissions.
  • Coordinate and document routine equipment quality assurance (QA/QC) tests for x‑ray units, digital detectors, and mobile units; ensure test schedules are met and results are filed according to policy and accreditation standards.
  • Implement and maintain the x‑ray program’s policies and procedures, including radiation safety protocols, imaging protocols, patient screening, and emergency procedures, ensuring alignment with state/federal regulations and The Joint Commission requirements.
  • Prepare, compile, and submit regulatory documentation and inspection packets to state health departments, licensing bodies, and external auditors, responding to survey findings and corrective action requests.
  • Serve as the liaison between radiology leadership and biomedical engineering/vendors to schedule preventive maintenance, prioritize equipment repairs, coordinate loaner equipment, and track service contracts and warranties.
  • Manage inventory and procurement for radiology supplies and protective equipment (lead aprons, thyroid shields, film/digital storage media), track stock levels, issue purchase requests, and reconcile vendor invoices.
  • Support billing and charge capture accuracy by auditing radiology orders, CPT/ICD‑10 coding alignment, exam documentation, and by resolving denials with the billing team to reduce revenue leakage.
  • Oversee patient intake and pre‑imaging screening for safety (pregnancy, implants, contrast contraindications), ensure HIPAA-compliant consent and documentation, and coordinate patient transport and special needs.
  • Create and maintain imaging protocol libraries and exam checklists; collaborate with radiologists and technologists to standardize protocols, update DICOM tag policies, and ensure protocol version control.
  • Monitor and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as exam turnaround times, image retake rates, patient satisfaction, equipment uptime, and regulatory compliance measures for leadership review.
  • Train and onboard new radiology staff on administrative systems, imaging workflows, safety policies, radiation monitoring procedures, and proper use of PACS/RIS applications and reporting tools.
  • Coordinate mobile x‑ray and offsite imaging services, including scheduling, quality monitoring, compliance checks, and integration of external images into the local PACS/EHR.
  • Perform periodic audits of radiology records, consent forms, and image metadata to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with institutional policies and state regulations.
  • Facilitate multidisciplinary meetings (radiology, nursing, OR, emergency department) to resolve imaging workflow issues, prioritize urgent cases, and implement process improvements that enhance patient care and efficiency.
  • Maintain and update training records, certifications, and continuing education logs for all imaging personnel; schedule competency assessments and renewal reminders for ARRT or state-specific licensure.
  • Support IT and clinical informatics projects related to imaging: DICOM routing, modality worklist optimization, integration of imaging devices with EMR (e.g., Epic/Cerner), and validation testing for software updates.
  • Respond to and investigate incident reports related to imaging errors, safety events, or potential HIPAA breaches; coordinate root cause analysis and corrective action plans with quality and compliance teams.
  • Prepare and present detailed operational and compliance reports for leadership, including narrative summaries of incidents, trends, cost/benefit analyses for equipment upgrades, and recommendations for process changes.
  • Manage the retention, archiving, and secure disposal of radiology imaging records according to institutional retention schedules, state laws, and HIPAA guidelines, ensuring proper DICOM archive management.
  • Coordinate outreach and education for referring providers on imaging ordering best practices, appropriate use criteria, radiation dose considerations, and electronic ordering workflows to reduce unnecessary imaging.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives by participating in Lean/Six Sigma or quality improvement projects focused on reducing retakes, shortening exam turnaround, and improving patient safety during imaging procedures.
  • Ensure radiation safety signage, shielding assessments, and controlled area access are current and compliant; schedule periodic area surveys and document corrective measures when levels exceed thresholds.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • PACS administration and basic troubleshooting (experience with vendors such as GE Centricity, Agfa IMPAX, Philips IntelliSpace, or Sectra).
  • RIS/EMR integration knowledge (Epic Radiant, Cerner Radiology; configuring modality worklists and order mapping).
  • DICOM standards and metadata management, including routing, tag consistency, and image compression considerations.
  • Radiation safety program management: dosimetry tracking, ALARA principles, shielding assessments, and state/federal reporting requirements.
  • Quality assurance and QC testing for x‑ray equipment, detectors, and mobile imaging units; familiarity with QA documentation and corrective action plans.
  • Medical terminology, radiology procedure codes, CPT/ICD‑10 familiarity, and basic radiology charge capture workflows.
  • HIPAA and patient privacy compliance, secure image transfer, and record retention best practices.
  • Strong Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, basic formulas) for KPI tracking and operational reporting.
  • Experience coordinating vendor service contracts, purchase orders, and equipment capital requests.
  • Basic IT troubleshooting and collaboration with clinical informatics/IT teams for DICOM/EHR interfacing, user provisioning, and data backups.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent written and verbal communication for coordinating clinicians, vendors, and regulatory authorities.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities, complex schedules, and recurring compliance deadlines.
  • Attention to detail and strong documentation habits to maintain audit-ready files and logs.
  • Problem-solving mindset with experience facilitating root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions.
  • Customer-service orientation when interacting with patients, families, clinicians, and external partners.
  • Team player who can collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and influence without direct authority.
  • Initiative and continuous improvement focus—comfortable identifying inefficiencies and driving process changes.
  • Adaptability in a fast-paced clinical environment with frequent interruptions and emergent priorities.
  • Confidentiality and professionalism when handling protected health information and sensitive incidents.
  • Training and coaching ability to onboard staff and deliver competency-based education.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required; relevant healthcare or administrative training preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree in Radiologic Technology, Health Information Management, Healthcare Administration, or related field.
  • Certifications or coursework in Radiation Safety, PACS Administration, or Imaging Informatics are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Radiologic Technology / Medical Imaging
  • Health Information Management
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Clinical Informatics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of combined clinical imaging, radiology administrative support, or PACS/RIS coordination experience.

Preferred:

  • 2+ years supporting radiology or imaging services in a hospital or outpatient setting, or prior experience as an imaging technologist with administrative responsibility.
  • Demonstrated experience with PACS/RIS systems, QA/QC program administration, and regulatory compliance (state radiation control, HIPAA, The Joint Commission).
  • Prior involvement in process improvement, vendor coordination, and basic reporting/analytics for operational KPIs.
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